Fuel Protest Planned

[Cyclone]

Originally posted by Greenback

I would. But then again, cars are cheaper to buy than ever before (in relative terms), much more fuel efficient than ever before, and last longer than before. According to this report:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,11319,611320,00.html

 

"relative to rising real incomes, the cost of motoring has fallen by 30% since 1964."

 

in 2000 when the price for a litre of fuel was probably about 60p. It's now 85p. Which is a 40% rise. Where does that leave the 30%, I don't know because I can't say what proportion of the running cost is petrol alone, but I suspect we're probably back at 1964 levels.

[Berberis]

These fuel protesters get my full support.

 

If all the tax from fuel was either used to maintain the roads, subsidise public transport or go towards helping to limit the environmental damage caused, then people would be more supportive.

 

We could even use the cash to subsidise the British motor industry in research for more fuel efficient cars!

 

Greenback,

Where the anti (Iraq) war protests illegal then? People where walking in the streets and "going slow" should they have all been arrested for blocking the highways because you're sat at the back bibbing your horn!

[Greenback]

Originally posted by Cyclone

in 2000 when the price for a litre of fuel was probably about 60p. It's now 85p. Which is a 40% rise. Where does that leave the 30%, I don't know because I can't say what proportion of the running cost is petrol alone, but I suspect we're probably back at 1964 levels.

 

It's not perfect data, it is a little out of date. But I'm not sure about your figures... I would have guessed it was around the 65p mark in 2000, and last time I went to fill up i think it was 83p-ish.

[Cyclone]

i was only guessing. The best i've seen in the last few days was 82p in Edinburgh and 84p in Sheffield or Birmingham. Averages are probably at least a few pence higher once you take into account the south and motorways.

[foxy027]

Originally posted by kathythebean

You're going to protest against fuel? Isn't that a little bit silly?

 

As apposed to sitting back and doing nowt!

[t020]

Originally posted by Phanerothyme

I imagine the hard of thinking will be out in force for this one.

 

Not at all. It's the hard of thinking that just go along and accept the fact that we pay a ridiculous amount of tax on fuel compared with virtually any other country in the whole world. The do-ers will go out and do something about it. I applaud the planned fuel protest.

[Chicago]

A friend of mine trades oil futures in the US and he is predicting a price of $10 /US gal on unleaded gasoline by 2010. Current average price for unleaded gasoline and diesel is around $2.50 /US Gal or 38p /L.

 

He cites increased global oil demand from emerging economies (especially China and India) as the primary impetus. This will by all means impact everyone.

 

Little known fact- the Toyota Prius can be made into a plug-in hybrid. If you drive less than 60 km per day, you may save money plugging in.

 

http://www.calcars.org/

 

I'm not sure what the kw/hr prices are in Sheffield....

 

Happy driving!

[Longcol]

Interesting that BP have posted a 29% increase in profits.

 

Perhaps not all increases in petrol price are due to taxation?

[Greenback]

Originally posted by t020

Not at all. It's the hard of thinking that just go along and accept the fact that we pay a ridiculous amount of tax on fuel compared with virtually any other country in the whole world. The do-ers will go out and do something about it. I applaud the planned fuel protest.

 

Do the "do-ers" include farmers? What's their justification for the blockades, seeing as their fuel subsidies are met through the taxes that the rest of us pay?

 

If fuel taxes are reduced, more people will be on the roads for longer, leading to more congestion and more pollution. It's simple logic. In fact, there's a good environmental case for increasing fuel taxes (bringing back the 'fuel tax escalator that was initiated by Norman Lamont).

[Phanerothyme]

Originally posted by t020

Not at all. It's the hard of thinking that just go along and accept the fact that we pay a ridiculous amount of tax on fuel compared with virtually any other country in the whole world. The do-ers will go out and do something about it. I applaud the planned fuel protest.

 

Why don't you go out and join it, or would that require too larger a commitment on your part?

 

Perhaps we should abolish all taxes and make contributions to the public pocket entirely voluntarily?

 

If you want to protest against fuel prices, then surely a good capitalist way of doing so would be to not buy any.

 

Organising and supporting mass blockades aimed at extorting the government to bend to your will is such an old hat leftist trade union idea, and it doesn't work.

 

Even if the tax on petrol were frozen, the prices will still continue to rise.

 

And if a fuel blockade actually threatened the well-being of the rest of the nation, as a successful one surely would, the government would have no qualms whatsoever in removing the blockades by any means necessary.

 

Thankfully it seems the planned farmer's blockade ended up as a few hard of thinking types driving their tractors around a remote roundabout, wasting precious fuel that they pay minimal tax on...